Embargo Of A Darkened Duo
by Scalesies
Summary: A story about a wandering Argonian who stumbles upon the Dark Brotherhood, and how his life begins to change from that very point in his life. Yaoi/BL, MaleOC x Veezara /!\This will be considered unfinished, and will most likely stay that way. Sorry./!\
1. Prologue

It was another gusty and debilitating day in Windhelm, with snow being thrown around by a dancing wind. A singular figure of a wanderer who came across the city roamed, silently listening to conversations as it passed. He overheard a child and a lady, talking about a newly announced orphan doing a ritual called the 'Black Sacrament'. He had heard that phrase before. Black Sacrament. He never recalled where he had heard it. Apparently it was supposed to call upon an organization named the Dark Brotherhood, an assassin organization, to be specific. As he thought about this within his head, he diverted his attention back to the boy. He was attempting to get into the house, but the lady stopped him by saying the family was cursed. They soon left, still talking about it.

" What will happen if I intervene, I wonder? " He mumbled to himself. He tried to open the door, but with a firm rattle it confirmed itself shut. He put his hand into his pocket, grabbing a thin lockpick. Making sure nobody was watching, he put the lock rotation device and the lockpick in, easily disabling the defensive door. He silently pushed open the door, and closed it behind him, without making as such a little creak. He heard a boy's voice reciting the ritual, and he began to climb the steps. He saw a letter on the floor, stating that he will soon be relocating to the orphanage in Riften. He jumped a bit when the kid suddenly hit his fist on the floor.

" Die Grelod, die! " Luckily the only sound he made was muted by the sound the boy had made. He got back up, and walked into the room. He was kneeling over a skeleton with something that looked like a heart, surrounded by candles. He made an attentive sound behind the boy, who then stood up.

" It worked! It really worked! " The boy had exclaimed, his eyes widening when he believed that the wanderer was an assassin. He waited until he calmed down, remaining silent, and made a posture and facial expression that hinted he wanted to know what he had wanted. He told him that he wanted Grelod the Kind, who ironically, was very rude and antagonizing, to die. He slowly nodded his head, and went off to Riften to murder her. Perhaps the children would be better off without her.

After a demanding walk, he had reached Riften. He cursed under his breath, his leg muscles aching. He dragged his drained feet within the city's premises, invited by citizens tending to their own business, carrying crates and selling wares. He had to wander around the city before reaching the orphanage, to which he had opened the door to. The first thing he had heard was an angry and demanding voice, belonging to a possibly old lady. He quickly realized it was Grelod the 'Kind', talking to the orphaned kids. He had waited until nobody was looking as she turned to room in the back, drew his bow, and retireved an arrow from his quiver. He aimed at the back of her head, his hands forming beads of sweat. After locking onto her neck area, he let it fly through the air, neatly dodging all of the others. It had pierced her throat, making her fall to the floor.

" Grelod is dead! " One of the kids cheered in delight. The only other woman in the room had screamed from shock and fright, and looked around for the culprit. He was already out of the building, and was mainly concealed behind the corner in the first place. He had felt a tinge of guilt at the other lady's reaction, especially now the person keeping the whole place up was now dead. He quickly covered it up with the reactions of the children, who were delighted. He briskly walked out of Riften, avoiding all the guards who were running towards the orphanage.

" No time for breaks, I guess. It's always been a pain walking around this province. " He muttered. All the cold air, the unfamiliar land, and overall wilderness of this place was making him sick, albeit not much, thanks to his natural disease-resistant blood. He was coughing heavily, his chest heaving with each one. He made a stifled sound as he had calmed down his coughing fit, and sighed. This cough wasn't dangerous at all, but it was annoying and hindered him a bit. Ah well, he thought, I can adapt to this. I've been alive this long outside of the Black Marsh, without it's humidity. He shrugged unconsciously to himself. He was trying to distract himself from his exhaustion and sickness, and was now drifting back to his mindset focused around his lack of energy. He moaned unenthusiastically, hunched over and breathing with a dry-sounding tone to it, thanks to his cough. He began to lodge his teeth into his lips, drawing tiny amounts of blood. The bottom side of his tongue dragged over top of it, and he realized what he was doing. It was a rather painful and annoying habit when he was feeling thirsty. He reached Windhelm, his mouth feeling incredibly dry and irritating. He went back to the boy's house, making himself seem as professional and awe-inspiring as he turned back the results to him. He gave the wanderer his family's heirloom to sell. He left the house, turning to the inn for a drink and to sleep away his fatigue.

* * *

Of course, he didn't realize that he was getting dragged off elsewhere in his sleep.

He woke up on the cold, hard floor of a shack. He heard muffled talking, unsure where it came from, and was met by a woman clad in black and red armor, who called herself Astrid.

" That kill was for the Dark Brotherhood, and you stole it. But now, you can repay us. " She said, and he inquired how to. She replied with a straight-forward response.

" Figure out which of these three have a contract on them. If you guess and kill the correct one, I will let you leave. " She said. First of all, he tested the door knob on the door. It rattled in resistance. He figured he'd have to do as she said. Knowing these people would be easy to kill and meaningless to waste an arrow on, he unsheathed his sword from his side. He looked at all of them, all protesting. He decided the Khajiit would most likely be the contracted man, as he encountered many people who would hate these kind of people. He didn't hesitate to move forward, and just as the Khajiit was beginning to talk, he beheaded him in a swift strike. Astrid made a slow clap, and then talked.

" The Khajiit? I guess you were right. " She tossed the keys to him, making a soft jingling sound as they flew through the air and into the wanderer's hand.

" If you decide to join the Brothehood, you will find the Sanctuary in the woods. " Astrid told him, and he nodded. He left the shack, and began to head south. He was guessing it was in the south, nearby Riverwood or Falkreath. He enjoyed the humidity of the marsh he was located in while he was there, and saw Morthal and a cave as he passed by. He was curious to see what the Dark Brotherhood really was like, and what a lifestyle of said organization would be like. Despite his sickness, he had a bit more energy, fueled by excitement.

* * *

**End of Prologue **

Author's Note: The Earth King's Embrace has been canceled due to the inactivity of the original requester, alongside other reasons stated within my profile.


	2. Chapter 1

After a grudgingly distant walk, the wanderer had finally arrived to Falkreath. It had took an entire day to get there, draining him of his energy. It also seemed his cough had become worse, perhaps due to the temperature change his body underwent as he shifted past the cold region of Skyrim to the more forgiving area. He decided to roam the pine woods in the immediate area, and possibly find the Sanctuary. If he didn't, then he would at least know what was in the area, in case it supplied something he needed. At first his search proved fruitless, but he had encountered a suspicious black pool, which gave a feeling that something was in it. He walked around it, with a hint of wariness, and saw a door in the crevice of a rock. He approached it, and it whispered a question with a bone-chilling voice.

" What is the music of life? " It spoke to him, sending a small shiver down his spine. However, he replied with the answer Astrid had slipped into his pockets whilst asleep.

" Silence, my brother. " He replied firmly, as if trying to prove his worth to an unseen watcher. It said in the same voice, it's last line, soon after.

" Welcome home. " It said, and it creaked open. He stepped inside, and was met by stone steps leading down. An underground base, he thought to himself. As he stepped down, he was met by Astrid, who was in the door frame to the main rooms.

" Ah, you're here. I hope you found the place all right. " She said to him, which he then responded with a question.

" So, what is this place? " He asked with curiosity, with no attempt to cover it up. She replied right away, telling him it was the Sanctuary she had talked about, and that it was the safest place in Skyrim. He somehow doubted that, but shrugged his shoulders in agreement anyways.

" Here is your armor. " She handed over a outfit of black and crimson garbs, and he proceeded to change into them out of sight. They were tight, but somehow very flexible. However, only known to the wanderer himself, he was one who did not like having his body shown off, whether by tight clothes, or revealing. He moved around uncomfortably, trying to make his movements seem natural as possible. It was hard to, as he felt it contracting and pushing against his muscles in any area that moved, and he was scared he was going to look strange wearing them. He still managed to walk over to the group of the older assassins, but they were listening to a child. She seemed to be wearing an average girl's dress, while there was a Redguard, an eldery mage, an Dunmer, and a man who seemed to be significantly bigger then the rest. It seemed that the Redguard was known as Nazir, the child was Babette, the mage was Festus, and so on.

However, he heard another voice, but the person who released it was blocked from his current point of view. He looked past the obstacle in his way, and saw an Argonian. He felt his face go cold for a moment's notice, followed by a flushing heat. He quickly forced it out of his cheeks. From what he heard, his name was Veezara. He wasn't much for romance or love, but something about that particular Argonian struck him in a way he wouldn't expect, especially for a male. He chose to slip into the group otherwise, but glanced subconsciously in Veezara's direction. After they were done talking, and laughing about Babette's assassination on an unsuspecting male, he talked to Nazir, who Astrid advised to get contracts from until she was done preparing a bigger contract.

" Ah, you're the new blood? If I recall correctly, I heard your name is Zamel. " Nazir told the wanderer, who nodded his head. His posture was still more stiff and rigid then most others, but Nazir made no comment whatsoever.

" Well, I guess I'll get the new contracts. There are three ready at the moment. " Nazir told Zamel, who took them all. The first was to kill a homeless man in Ivarstead, a man living in a tent right nearby Anga's Mill, and then a woman in Dawnstar, who would be the more likely to resist. Zamel said his farewells to Nazir, and then walked out of the Sanctuary, raising the cowl over his face. Just as he got out, he began to cough uncontrollably again. It took a while to stop it, but he managed to get some distance before it stopped.

* * *

He had now reached Whiterun, which was on the pathway to Ivarstead. It seemed his cold's chest pain had worsened a bit, but not very noticeably. He continued past Whiterun, looking around him to see if anyone was nearby, and he saw a shadow of a person. He tried to say something to it, but it quickly ran out of sight. Zamel made a nonchalant noise, as it could just some bandit. Bandits were usually easy to kill for him anyways, so he didn't care.

* * *

As he approached Ivarstead, he continued to spot the silhouette. He identified it, and it seemed to be the same person every time.

" Better not interfere... " He murmured to himself. Apparently, the first target was in a wrecked house, right beside the river. It was nighttime, which would make this all the more easier. He drew his sword from his side, and quietly went into the house, where he saw the man sleeping on the floor. Making sure the shadow wasn't watching him, albeit it was, and he killed the man with one swift beheading blow. After that, he took all the items that were of worth to him, and left. The shadow, which was unseen by Zamel, took off with quiet steps.

* * *

He approached the door of the Sanctuary the next night, having slept in the inn, known as the Vilemyr Inn. He opened the door, and entered the room Astrid had usually resided.

" I'm not done the contract yet, go talk to Nazir about your current ones until then. " Astrid told Zamel as he approached her, answering his unspoken question. He silently went into the expanse down the stairs, and saw Arnbjorn working on the grindstone. He continued past, and went up the stairs, where Babette, Festus, and Gabriella were talking. He continued past, leaving the trio alone. There, he spotted Veezara and Nazir talking, and he overheard them.

" Astrid told me to watch Zamel, and report to you. " Veezara told him.

" Hm, well, she didn't inform me about that. Anyways, he killed Narfi? " Nazir responded, then following with a question.

" Hmm, yes. " Veezara responded, his voice giving Zamel shivers up his spine. He easily put it together that Veezara was the shadow. Once they were done talking, he decided to walk in. Nazir spoke to him first, like seemingly everyone else.

" I heard you killed Narfi. Is this true? " He asked.

* * *

" Yes, it is. Didn't even make a sound. " Zamel replied plainly. But, really, he was sweating and his heart was pounding like crazy, as he knew Veezara was watching them. Nazir gave him his money, and Zamel claimed to retire for the night. He walked upstairs, followed by him lying down on the one of the beds that were free. Walking all that way and back was tiring, especially with his sickness. The sabre cats and wolves are no help, either. He quickly fell asleep, but his dreams were filled with static.

" 2 months... " A silhouette said within the static, and Zamel's eyes flew open in surprise, drenched in a night sweat.

Chapter 1 -END-


	3. Chapter 2

Zamel was breathing heavily, and he was soaked in a cold sweat. It seemed he had a nightmare of some kind, but most of the others had fallen asleep. He got up, his eyes still adjusting to the difference of lighting. He rubbed his eyes, and looked around. He saw Veezara, Festus, and Gabriella on their beds, asleep. He walked down the stairs, seeing Nazir still sitting at the table. They exchanged greetings, and he went into the main room. It seemed Arnbjorn wasn't there, and he assumed he was asleep with Astrid. He chose to look around the Sanctuary some more. He wandered around, seeing Babette asleep on a stone bed. Looked uncomfortable. He continued on, seeing another empty room, with another with a table in the middle, with a picture of a skeletal Sithis on stained glass looking into the main room.

He yawned again, and went down into the main room, and sat down in front of the water that had pooled from the spewing water in the wall. He stared into the pool, gazing at his reflection in the water. He had a light cough, and he began to feel sleepy again. He struggled to keep his eyelids open, but when he closed them, he didn't remember what had happened afterwards.

He moaned, as he felt something shake his shoulder. He heard his named being called, but it was muffled. He opened his eyes, and saw the bottom of the pool. In fact, he _was_ at the bottom of the pool. Forgetting his species had the ability to breathe water momentarily, he panicked, flailing, and launched his head out of the water. He gasped as he felt his back shot a pain up his spine, and he realized that he was in a rather painful position when he fell asleep. It was only two hours later, and it seemed that Veezara had woken up, and saw Zamel in the embarrassing position. As soon as he realized it was Veezara who was touching his shoulder, rather tight, he reacted rather violently. He threw Veezara's hand off, his heart going crazy.

" What are you doing?! " Veezara gasped as he was pushed backwards by Zamel, who was reacting on impulse. Zamel had always hated being touched, by whoever it was, for no particular reason at all.

" Sorry, it's just that when someone touches me, I just react like that. On impulse, of course. " He said, his heart-rate going berserk. Due to that, his voice cracked quite noticeably. Veezara took no notice of that, however.

" So, now that's resolved. Why were you sleeping out here...? " Veezara asked. Zamel blushed slightly, but he hid it, and responded hastily.

" I was tired, and I passed out. I think. " He sighed. His face was all wet, and his upper body was too. The clothes clung even more to his body, and it was much more uncomfortable overall. He sighed at himself without realizing.

" Hm. All right. " Veezara said, and he turned his back on Zamel. He proceeded to unsheathe his sword and lash at the dummies, drawing fluff out of them with every blow. Zamel faced back to the protrait of Sithis, and began to think about that static and that person within it. It didn't look human, not even a humanoid figure. It looked more like the silhouette of a dragon, but not the ones that roamed today. He sighed, reaching a dead end. He turned around, and watched Veezara wreck the stuffed dummies. After about one minute, he chose to begin his way to Anga's Mill. He marked it's location on his map, and he began to leave the Sanctuary. Veezara noticed this, and once he knew he had left, followed him, as per Astrid's orders.

Upon reaching the surface area, he took a deep, refreshing breath. After being in that place for so long, which isn't exactly sanitary, it was nice to get the clear oxygen. He moved onto the main road, and began to follow it, heading into the northern area. It was still brightening, so his eyes hurt a bit in the brink of dark and light. He didn't mind it, but rather then that, he was satisfied with his work so far.

He had smoothly killed a sleeping man, and killed an unsuspecting lady. If it wasn't because others wanted them dead, he would feel pretty bad. However, he now had to go kill a man living nearby a mill in a tent. He wondered what he had done to get someone to kill him. He pondered this question as he moved along the road, ignoring most of game that passed nearby the path, unless it got in his way.

* * *

He had reached Whiterun once again, and had covered most of the way to Anga's Mill. He decided to go through the mountains, as it was much less condensed with bandits. The sabre cats seemed to lurk more on the side of the road, waiting for lone travellers, like himself. He was unaware of Veezara closely following him, so he wasn't as alone as he thought. He followed the path to the mountains, and once he had reached the mountains, he trudged his now sore legs up the side. He reached the tomb Volunruud, and began to stray off the path and go straight through. He slid down the hills, snow thrown into the air as he curved his own path down the mountains. He was unaware of a nearby bear, who was following him. However, he himself was too fast for the bear, and already slid down the mountain. Veezara had already cut around the mountain, being significantly faster then Zamel.

" Alright, the river. I can see the smoke from here. " Zamel said as he rubbed his hands together, and then dove into the flowing water. He easily resisted the current, and reached the other side in no time. The bear, who was too weak to get through the current, roared with frustration, and turned back. Zamel paid no notice. It was now several hours past dusk, the sky decorated with glittering stars. He gazed at them for a moment's notice, then got a small coughing fit. It was crusty sounding, and hurt his lungs, but he ignored the pain his chest was giving him, as it was not severe. He moved slowly and quietly, concealing himself in shadows like a cloak. The man he was contracted to kill was asleep, unknowing of his death approaching in armor of red and black. He brandished his sword, as if he was mocking the sleeping prey. He stalked up behind him, and twirled his sword into a stabbing position. He was lying on his back, making it all the more easier. He thrust the fatal object in his hands into the man's upper spine. He let out a small noise of surprise, going limp the next moment.

The man was now in a blood puddle, blood forming around the dead body. He left the corpse, going back down to the forceful river of water. Veezara was hidden in the water, and had born witness to the whole scene. He watched as his fellow Argonian, also known as egg-brother, dive into the water, and go back towards the mountain. The bear noticed this, and prepared for him to pass by. As soon as Zamel passed by it, it let out a mighty roar, staggering Zamel with fear and surprise. It launched on him, viciously clawing and snapping it's jaws at him. He kept it's jaws away from his face with his sword, but his chest and abdomen were already mauled.

Veezara charged at the bear, and impaled it's head. It sprayed and coughed blood all over Zamel, who was screaming and in a state of shock. Veezara threw the corpse down the mountain, and gathered the wounded Zamel in his arms. The blood was endless, coating the ground and Veezara with it. He ran down the mountain, and sliding when required. As soon as they had reached the bottom of the mountain, with a scared Veezara and a heavily bleeding Zamel, he was very unsure what to do. He covered the wounds with fresh snow, hoping it would numb the pain and stop the bleeding, even if it was a tiny portion. He looked around to see if there were any items he could possibly replace for bandages, but could not find any. They were at a far distance to Whiterun, but he could rush them both there. He gathered the now silent man in his arms, and sprinted to Whiterun.

It seemed agonizingly long, but it was surprisingly short. Zamel's breathing and flickering eyes were the only things reassuring of his life, as he dashed up the path to the gate. The guards cleared way without question, understanding the severity of the situation. He ran through the gate, and to the Alchemist's shop. It was the only kind of person he knew that could treat a person, and as soon as he opened the doors in a frantic panic, the alchemist woman ran to their side.

" I'll pay you what you need, I just need you to save his life. " Veezara said, trying to keep a cool composure. Arcadia nodded, and cleared the table in the room beside it. Veezara laid Zamel on it, and she had dashed to get items and bandages. She commanded Veezara to make sure Zamel would stay away, sometimes even shaking his head violently. As she finished mixing the items to make a salve, she spread it on the wounds, and then covered them with bandages and patches. The bleeding gradually stopped, but Zamel seemed to have lost a lot of blood. Veezara was sitting beside him, gripping his gloved hand with his own.

He felt Zamel's hand slightly grip his, and he let out a breath of relief. Arcadia was sitting on the other side, pouring a small amount of a health potion down his mouth every so often. After giving the whole potion, she encouraged Veezara to go to the inn. Once Zamel was released, she would charge him the value of the items she had to use during the treatment. He waited until Arcadia had left the room, and he gazed at Zamel's sleeping face. He silently brushed his scaly forehead with his hand, and he left the sleeping Argonian.

* * *

Chapter 2 -END-


	4. Chapter 3

Zamel's eyes opened. It was early in the morning, but it was still dark outside. He couldn't remember what happened, as everything that had happened after the assassination was just a blur. All he could make out was something roaring, then getting toppled by the animal of interest. Then, his sword blocking the animal's mouth, removing the chance of getting bit. Then he remembered a flash of green, and his vision was interrupted by a splatter of warm scarlet. He remembered getting picked up, and then getting his head jerked one way or another. After the pulling and dizzying ride, he was propped up against a mound of white fluff, and felt something cold counteract his wounds. He did not feel anything much, as shock had stopped his nerves from sensing anything. Then he remembered getting rushed to Whiterun, and getting help from Arcadia, who had helped him with alchemy in the past. Then, he recalled a hand brushing against his forehead, but it wasn't Arcadia. It was Veezara.

" Wait, Veezara?! " He cried aloud, sitting up straight in a matter of seconds. He let out a squeal of sharp pain, and laid back down. Arcadia heard the sound, and opened the door. She saw her old costumer awake, his face twisted in pain.

" Stay still, I'll get some potions. " She told him, as he twisted his face in accordance to the pain in his abdominal area. She came back in with a Minor Potion of Healing, and she poured it down his throat when he opened his mouth. After it was empty, she re-applied the salve and bandages, and Zamel stayed still during the entire procedure, despite his eagerness to move. After she was done, Arcadia firmly commanded Zamel to stay on the table until he heals. He groaned due to the soreness, and eventually began to think of what could have compelled Veezara to brush his head as he did. Instantly, his mind went to the possibility of love, and his face turned from it's usual pale-green complexion to a deep scarlet red across his cheeks. His mouth line had molded into a giddy smirk, and he giggled sheepishly. At the moment of his chest started rising to his laughter, his lower area stopped it with a shot of pain.

" Oww, ahh, that really hurts. What even attacked me...? " He murmured to himself, feeling the bagginess underneath his eyes. Everything was sore, and he felt the exhausting pressure of fatigue riddled along his body. He dragged his hand across his face, and he realized that his shirt was off, but his gloves were not. How particular, he thought, people usually take off gloves when you take off shirts. But, he remembered that his fear of touch was also accompanied with a slighter fear of exposure. Being sore, debilitated with fatigue, and having Sithis knows how many wounds on his abdomen, he felt more exposed then ever. Luckily, nobody was in the room, and he suspected it would be so until Veezara returned.

He slowly raised his upper body, careful not to disturb the dormant pain on the lower area. He got himself propped up on his upper body, with slow but steady progress. He put a hand behind him to stabilize himself, as he turned his body around. He slowly reached his legs to the ground, firmly planting his feet on the ground. He slowly lowered the rest of his body down, careful to not make any sudden movements. He had successfully shifted his weight onto his legs without opening a wound, and went over to his wrecked shirt. Everything except the chest and arm area had been torn off, but he figured having bandages covering his lower body would be better then nothing. He slipped it on, and then propped himself on the table this time. It was harder and slower then last time, and he had reopened one of his wounds. He sucked in the sound of pain, and put the rest of his body on the table. After doing this, he closed his eyes, and tried to sleep.

He woke up again, but this time with puffy white clouds and the glaring sun. He groaned as he felt the soreness swirling in around his stomach. He also felt a bit of a fever, probably due to his condition. However, he felt another presence, and it was Veezara. He was sitting in the corner, seemingly in his thoughts. However, hearing Zamel's voice woke him up out of his trance.

" Oh, you're awake. When I came in here, Arcadia said that you were originally awake. " He said. Instinctively, Zamel made sure his armor was still on. It was.

" And she found out you got up just to put your shirt back on, because one of your wounds reopened. " Veezara told him, and Zamel blushed. Whether it was due to his feelings for Veezara, or due to embarrassment, he was not sure. All he did know is that after that thing attacked him, with Veezara saving his life, his romantic impression on Veezara seemed to skyrocket.

" Is your fever acting up? " Veezara questioned as he stood up, seeing Zamel's face go bright red. Zamel, who felt even more flustered, started to sweat more then he previously was, and stammered a lie.

" Y-Yeah, " He choked on the words. " It's making my head burn. " He tried to sound as sick as he could, as he would be embarrassed beyond words if Veezara found out the true reason that befell his crimson face. As Veezara left the room to get a pack of ice, Zamel let out his breath in heavy, fever-ridden breaths. Honestly, his fever was affecting his face by a small portion, but he knew the true reason why he was like this. However, he did not know the reason to his feelings for Veezara. Was it just infatuation?

" Well, I'll find out myself as time goes by. " He sighed, putting his hand to his face, dragging it downwards. He put his arms back to his sides, and let his mind drift, influenced by his feverish exhaustion. After a short while, he felt something frozen press against his forehead, causing him to fling his eyelids open, startled by the sudden change of temperature within his head. It felt good and soothing to his blistering heat, and he saw Arcadia looming over him.

" Oh, Arcadia. Where'd Veezara go? " He asked, his curiosity taking control of his vocal cords before he realized. He felt like it was abnormal, but it seemed Arcadia thought otherwise.

" He said he was going to talk to Astrid, whoever that is, and that you needed ice. " Arcadia told him, and he sighed.

" Hm? What's wrong? " She asked.

" Oh, it's nothing. If Veezara doesn't come back before I am discharged, I'll pay. " He responded, trying to make it sound natural, despite the fact he was more disappointed Veezara had left.

" Hm, alright. Be sure not to reopen any of those wounds. " Arcadia reminded him, and she left the room, closing the door. Zamel clenched his fist, and hit it on the table. He didn't know how else to react, but he closed his eyes and tried to sleep.

* * *

He woke up when he heard someone enter the room. It was evening again, and the ice pack was missing. It was Arcadia again, with newly made salve and bandages. Zamel and hoped Veezara would return, but he thought it would be likely he wouldn't. He closed his eyes as he felt the warm bandages were removed along with the older salve, and replaced it with the newer bandages and herb mixtures. Arcadia left the room without making a sound. Zamel, knowing fully well he was not able to be discharged, drifted into the allure of sleep.

* * *

" Hm...? " Zamel grunted. It was daybreak, the sun's bright rays breaking through the thin layer of glass on the wall. He blinked, the regular soreness coming back into his abdomen. It seemed he had already been treated with a new batch of herbs and bandages in his sleep. He propped himself up on his elbows, looking up. He managed to get up quicker, as his wounds were healing faster due to his lack of movement. It was all quiet, and he didn't even hear the sounds he usually heard from inside the room. His fever was about the same as yesterday, not picking up or losing any degrees. He managed to slide his legs off the side of the wooden table, making them touch the ground. He shifted his weight to his legs, and got up. He did his best suppressing his urges to stretch.

As he walked into the room where most of the alchemy materials and alchemy table belonged, he saw Arcadia sitting on the chair in front of the fire.

" You're already able to walk? " Arcadia said, standing up. Although he couldn't do much, he managed to slowly walk.

" Yeah. I'm more concerned about my armor, though. I heard a tailor merchant passes by here every once in a while. Do you know if he's in town? " Zamel questioned, walking over to the fireplace.

" Hm, yes. He stopped in the inn last night. I saw him walking past. " Arcadia told him. Zamel nodded to himself, and then spoke.

" I'm going to go speak to him. Do you have any other shirts I can wear over top, " Zamel asked, " Like a cloak, or something similar? "

" Yes, I do. If something happens to it though, I hope you know what you'll have to do. " Arcadia said, jokingly. She went upstairs to her bedroom, and got a spare cloak. She gave it to Zamel, who replaced his destroyed armor with it. He walked ever so slowly out of the store, and went to the inn. He saw the tailor come out, and he approached.

" Excuse me. " Zamel said, and the tailor turned to look at him. It was a Khajiit, who was home to a shiny silver coat of fur.

" Ah, yes, what can I do for you? " The Khajiit asked, interested in what Zamel had to offer.

" You're a tailor, yes? Is it possible for you to fix this garment? " He showed the destroyed armor, and the Khajiit nodded.

" It will cost you 200 gold, though. Do you have enough? " The tailor asked, to where Zamel put a small bag filled with golden coins in his palm.

" I shall have it done in six hours. I'll be waiting in the inn. " The Khajiit told him, and went back inside, armor and money intact in his arms. Zamel returned to Arcadia's Cauldron, and she asked him how long it would take. He replied with six hours, and he returned to the table, and decided to sleep. He wasn't fully healed, and reopening any wounds would be highly undesirable.

As Zamel's eyes flickered again, the sun was beginning to set. He got up on his elbows again, and slid off the table. He realized he was still wearing the cloak, but he highly doubted that Arcadia would have a problem with him sleeping in it. He walked outside of the room, and Arcadia was serving a customer.

" Oh, Zamel. It's almost time for you to pick up the garment. I'll be able to discharge you after I replace your bandages and salve one more time. " She told him, to which he nodded. The customer didn't seem to take notice of that as Arcadia resumed to take care of his needs. Zamel walked past the fireplace, the embers warming his feet and dragging tail. He twisted the door's knob and opened it, turning back and closing it after he left.

He started to head to the inn, and saw several dead bodies of vampires on the floor. He spat on one of the bodies. They've always attacked him out of nowhere when he was travelling, so he hated every single one. Not like they do much rather then mess with other people's lives, sometimes ending them. He walked into the inn, inching the door closed behind him. He walked over to the Khajiit, who had a mug in hand, and he handed back the armor. It looked like it did as before, and he thanked the Khajiit quietly, who acknowledged this with a slight wave of his hand. He swerved by several people, some who begged for alcohol, and left it.

He returned to the store, to which it was only Arcadia.

" Ah, there you are. Let's begin the procedure. " She said, as she took out some bandages and salve. She took off his older versions of the items, and reapplied them. While she was doing that, Zamel pondered on why the customer was here. Most people don't come to alchemist shops, for different reasons.

" You can be discharged now, if you like. Your wounds aren't suited to traveling yet, so you can pay for a extra night here, " Arcadia told him, and continued " if you do, I'll reapply the new batch, then you'll be suited to leave. "

" I'll stay an extra night. " Zamel responded, putting 10 gold in her hand. He returned to the table, and laid back down. After being on it for so long, he became used to it. He quickly fell asleep, despite the fact his back was becoming very stiff from lying on this thing for several days.

* * *

" Hey, Zamel. " A voice said. It wasn't Arcadia's, far from it. It was familiar. Zamel's eyelids slid open, and he saw Veezara towering over him.

" Veezara?! I thought you left here? " Zamel said, sitting up on his elbows.

" Yeah, I did. We expected you to come back yesterday, but we figured you were still under Arcadia's care. I learned you were being discharged today. Now we have to return to Astrid. " Veezara said, helping Zamel to his feet. Zamel took off the cloak, and folded it on the table, and left it there. He slipped on his shirt, and they went into the main room. Veezara paid off the money they owed to Arcadia, and they said their farewells. The duo walked outside of Whiterun, soon leaving past the horse carriages placed neatly outside the city. As soon as they were a distance away from it, Zamel's head was swirling. What do I do? How do I thank him? These two questions spawned more, much more then the answers he had received.

" You're pretty quiet. " Veezara commented on Zamel's solitary silence. He seemed to be broken from his trance of thought, and responded.

" Y-Yeah. I'm just thinking, " Zamel choked the words out, still unsure what to do.

" Wh- " Veezara started to speak, but was caught off-guard by Zamel, who threw himself onto him. He was hugging Veezara, who had no idea what was going on.

" Thank you, " Zamel muttered, quietly. " For saving my life. " He felt his skin shiver, and he was panicking at the realization of what he did. Veezara gently returned the hug, despite knowing Zamel had to use up a lot of courage to do this, as his fear of touching was still present. Veezara smirked and let out a small chuckle.

" You're welcome. " He said.

* * *

Chapter 3 -END-


	5. Chapter 4

Veezara and Zamel walked down the narrow path in silence. After they had broken off from the warm embrace, there was an awkward silence between them. Zamel decided to take off his gloves to look at his hands. He had always despised his skin and scales, as they were much more pale then normal Argonians. Some people even thought he was fully white. He ran a finger along them, absent to the world around him. Veezara, however, was walking a bit further ahead then Zamel, crossing his arms. It was around midnight, the stars floating overhead, decorating the sky in a twinkling blanket. Zamel stopped stroking his scales covering his hand, and gazed above. He had always liked the night sky. Veezara and Zamel passed by the tower stationed between Whiterun and the mountains, guards stationed nearby.

As they passed by, Zamel's concentration went back to the area laid out in front of him. Veezara's back was facing him, the mountains looming nearby. He saw the trees slowly emerging from the darkness, nearly as black as the night sky. He then looked at Veezara's back. All he could think about when he thought about Veezara was the warmth of the embrace. He closed his eyes, and re-imagined the time when they had hugged, although Zamel forced it on Veezara. He put his arms together, gripping his biceps like he was hugging something incredibly thin. He felt something sharp and hard clamp on his foot, and he yelped, making Veezara jump. A mudcrab was on his foot, and he got his bow from his back. He shot it as quick as possible, making the assaulter go limp and let go of his foot.

He hissed under his breath, taking his shoe off slowly to make sure it wasn't bleeding. Veezara sat by, waiting. His foot was swollen, but it wasn't bleeding. He put his shoe back on, cursing the mudcrab under his breath, and snapped off its pinchers, shoving them into his bag. He kicked the corpse to the side with his good foot, and Veezara spoke up.

" Ready to go? " He asked. He stood up, his arms hanging to the side. Zamel nodded in silence, and they continued onwards. However, instead of normally walking, Zamel had to limp when he was walking. The pain was too severe to keep his shoe on after a small while, and he had to take off his boot. He continue to limp, boot in foot. The cool air soothed the burning, but did nothing to sedate the pain it was inflicting. As soon as they got the mountain path, which was rather steep, Zamel had to force more energy into his good leg to not fall behind Veezara. However, as they continued, he was getting tired from the steepness of the path, and the energy it required began to drain him. They reached the peak, and saw the ruins nearby. Zamel didn't say anything, and Veezara continued forward. Zamel continued to limp forward, using the ankle of his bad foot to stabilize him when he required it.

They reached the area just before Riverwood, and it was now only a few hours before dawn. Zamel was gripping his thigh, trying to moderate the soreness that had taken place within. He continued on, although agonizingly slower. Veezara noticed the lack of Zamel's footsteps, and looked back. This time he saw Zamel's annoyed and pained expression. Silently, Veezara slipped his arm underneath Zamel's and helped him along. Zamel jumped at the feeling of Veezara's arm, which was strong and muscular. He let himself blush, knowing Veezara couldn't see it. They moved together, and soon reached Riverwood. Veezara's arm slipped out, and Zamel hopped to the inn. Veezara came in behind him and closed the door, and Zamel approached Delphine, who was the innkeeper. After giving her ten gold and her showing him where his room was, he went to it. Veezara rented himself his own. After propping his injured foot without pain, he got into the bed and fell asleep.

His sleep was short, only four hours long. When he woke up, it was seven. Veezara was knocking at his door, and he got out of his bed. The swelling on his toe became less inflamed and swollen, enough for him to put on his boot. He slid it on, and went outside the door, no longer limping. Veezara was waiting right outside.

" Let's go, Zamel. " Veezara said briskly. He left the building, Zamel following him. They made much more time then they did the other day, but the strange silence still floated around their heads. Veezara seemed to have faster steps, as if he was irritated. Zamel didn't recall him being like this last night. Was staying in Riverwood irritable to him? He began to felt much more uncomfortable, trying to match Veezara's jolting pace. They soon reached Falkreath, and even faster left it. As soon as they reached the Dark Brotherhood's Sanctuary, Zamel heard an annoying voice coming from inside, which also had a tinge on insanity. They walked in, hearing a frustrated sigh from Astrid.

" Meet the foolish jester. " Veezara growled under his breath. It sounded like this man was highly irritable. He could see why. As he moved down the steps, he saw a man in a jester outfit. Behind him, a crate. Astrid, Festus, and Arnbjorn were around him, and Veezara simply walked past, and went to his usual spot. Zamel listened in to their conversation.

" ...But the Night Mother is mother to all! It is her voice we follow! Her will! Would you dare risk disobedience? And surely... punishment? " Cicero said, his voice becoming more irritating to Zamel by the minute. Arnbjorn's face reacted to this with a look of irritation.

" Keep talking, and we'll see who gets punished. " Arnbjorn growled at Cicero, and Festus joined in. Zamel watched them argue and talk, waiting on the steps for them to be quiet. Once they stopped, Astrid approached Zamel and began to talk to him.

" You have the contract ready? " Zamel asked.

" Yes. I was done talking to the fool anyways. I heard you got mauled by a bear, or that's what Veezara told us. You sure you're okay to do this? " Astrid asked, and Zamel nodded.

" Alright. You need to talk to a woman named Muiri in Markarth. I'll see you once you have finished the contract. " Astrid said, and she walked off. Cicero was now talking to himself. It seemed the crate contained the ever-known Night Mother, and Cicero was the Keeper. Zamel walked out of the Sanctuary, and Veezara walked out right after.

" Astrid ordered me to follow you again. Probably better walking alongside then hiding in those bushes again. " He said.

" Does she not trust me or something? " Zamel asked, primarily to himself. Veezara still responded to his question, however.

" After knowing you almost got ripped to shreds by a bear, " Veezara said flatly, " I think she's more concerned about your safety then your skill. "

" Yeah. I'm not ever doing that again. " Zamel sighed, feeling ashamed of how he walked straight to death's door, and almost went inside. They followed the trail that headed north, mainly in the direction to Markarth. The sky had removed the starry cover, the sun somewhat into the brightening sky. He hovered his hand above his eyes, the sun piercing his eyes, irritating him. The silence was almost deafening to Zamel, it washing over him like a tsunami. Everything seemed to go smoothly between them until he had thanked Veezara, and it was greatly bothering him. They went onwards, the silence unbroken.

* * *

They had reached Rorikstead, Zamel anxiously intertwining his fingers together. Veezara was still as silent as ever, and they weaved through the occasional farmer and villager passing through, but still no words were exchanged. As they passed through, there were silhouettes of people much further up the road. They were running, but Zamel didn't think much of it. They weren't part of his job anyways. Veezara and Zamel were now nearby the mine that was rumored to be taken over by the Forsworn. As they moved along, they heard footsteps behind and in front of them. They both took out their weapons as a precaution, Zamel's blackish sword gleaming in the sunlight. Suddenly, men and women in seemingly primitive clothing ran out of the brushes, surrounding them. Without warning, the gang of Forsworn ran towards them, both Veezara and Zamel ready.

A Forsworn male swung predictably at Zamel's lower stomach, who stepped back, and then countered with a quick slash to the throat. One of the women tried to attack Zamel from behind, but Veezara disarmed his current attacker, sending their sword flying, thus spinning around and stabbing the woman's backside. She fell over, dead. Zamel continued to skillfully dodge the two Forsworn focused on him, while Veezara slashed the disarmed man's head, separating it from the lower body. Zamel jumped over an attack, but the other Forsworn anticipated this, smacking him to the side with their axe. He fell to the ground, stunned, while Veezara was blocking his enemy's mace.

Zamel tried to stand up, but was punched back down. Veezara had shoved his attacker back, and ended his life with a jumping stab, making him crumble to the floor. He saw Zamel getting knocked back down over and over again, and he grabbed the dead enemy's mace. He ran up to the secondary Forsworn, clubbing the side of his head. While he was stunned and almost dead from the deadly hit, he threw his sword straight into the first's chest, making the target drop his sword and grip the handle, ripping it out. As the second one staggered up, he slammed his same wound with a power hit, sending him to the ground, instantly killing him. The other had dropped Veezara's impaling sword, and was bleeding out to his death.

Veezara helped Zamel up, and gave Zamel's sword back to him. Zamel's face was a face of both anger and pain, as he was bearing his teeth as he wiped the flowing blood whilst cradling his left eye, as the brute who punched him inflicted it.

" Are you okay? " Veezara asked, his voice concerning. Zamel silently nodded, the immense pain gathering in his face sealing his mouth shut. The only noises that emitted from him was angry grunts and annoyed moaning. After cleaning his pale nose and mouth, he talked.

" I hate these Forsworn. They always cause trouble in these areas. " Zamel muttered, spitting out some saliva and blood on the ground. Veezara waited until he was fully done. He noticed how Veezara was looking at his face, a glint of curiosity in his eyes. Zamel, after wiping off some tears leaking from his black eye, noticed this.

" Why are you looking at my face like that? " He asked, a faint heat flowing into his face. Veezara seemed to realize he was starting noticeably at his face, and he stumbled over words for a second.

" I, uh, uhm, it's just that your scales are a peculiar colour. Never seen an Argonian with that colouration. " He spat out, but quickly regained composure. A look of disappointment crossed Zamel's face, and the heat retreated.

" Let's just go. " Zamel whispered in a dark tone, his disappointment becoming gloom. Veezara was confused to why he was reacting like this, but he didn't dare to ask. However, Zamel was the one in the front, and Veezara was in the back. The blood around the dead Forsworns began to trail down into the water, colouring the water scarlet. It was quiet in the space between the two Argonians once again, but Zamel's skull was buzzing with emotions, primarily disappointment. Veezara sensed the tension and silent distress spraying from Zamel's negative atmosphere, which was wrapping around him like a blanket.

* * *

The duo reached Markarth, still both deathly silent. Zamel was digging one of his fingers into his arms, trying to alleviate his thoughts to the dull pain within his arm. He stopped without warning, making Veezara bump into him.

" What was that for? " Veezara snorted, and Zamel's expression darkened. Suddenly, the gloomy Argonian spun around, and punched Veezara in the cheek. He ran off before Veezara realized what happened, stumbling back. He fell on his butt, rubbing his cheek that was swelling up. His punch brought more pain than he imagined. He got up, making a slight hissing sound as he ran the path Zamel took. There was no sign of where he had gone, the path splitting into many alleys and other pathways. He took the path that led to the inn, and he went inside. There was no sign of Zamel, but he did see his contractor, Muiri. He approached her, who started off with an annoyed retort. However, as soon as Veezara had told her that he was from the Dark Brotherhood, to which she started off with a fed-up tone, but then changed it as she realized who it was. She gave the details to Veezara, and the contract was to kill Alain, a bandit leader, and optionally kill Nilsine Shatter-Shield.

He took it, and left without another word to Muiri. He continued to look for the missing Zamel, the main two reasons involving why he had punched him so furiously, and to deliver Muiri's contract details. He checked an alleyway, filled with little rats. They ran as Veezara walked down it, but at the end there was no sign of Zamel. He cursed under his breath. This city was not exactly small, let alone the fact the roads can be very confusing. After checking alleyway after alleyway, he went up to the temple. He opened the door, and there was Zamel, sitting on a bench. He was tense, his hands having a death grip on his legs. His face was blank, his eyes closed. It seemed he was thinking to himself, perhaps using the atmosphere of the temple to calm him down. Veezara sat down beside Zamel, who didn't seem to notice him.

" Hey. " Veezara said, which made Zamel jumped. Despite that, he opened his right eye, and closed it again.

" Hello. " Zamel said, in a flat tone. His mouth became a thinner line, showing the fury contained within through it. He got up, and put his back to Veezara. Veezara sighed, but then spoke.

" I got the contract details, " He told him, hesitated, and then spoke his question. " So, why did you punch me? "

Zamel clenched his hands in fists, and simply muttered, " I'm not ready to tell you yet. It is too early to be sure. "

Veezara took that as a signal to stop the conversation, and he stopped. He followed Zamel as he walked stiffly outside, who then asked his own question.

" What is the contract, and where is it? " Zamel said, his voice very flat.

" Windhelm. The contract is Nilsine Shatter-Shield, and a bandit leader dubbed Alain. "

* * *

Chapter 5 -END-


	6. Chapter 5

Just as Veezara had delivered the details to Zamel, he was off. He was walking at a surprisingly brisk pace, and this took Veezara by surprise. What had he do to make Zamel like this? As Zamel jumped off from the pathway hovering above the lower paths, he sprinted out of the city just as he touched the ground. Veezara groaned with annoyance at Zamel's childish avoidance, and he jumped off, hitting the ground with the bottom of his feet with a light sound, and then he walked out of town. As he left, he saw Zamel's pale tail disappear over a bump in the ground. Realizing how far they already were, Veezara took chase, the wind protesting by whipping against his face. The wind had increased dramatically, blowing dust and dirt everywhere.

As he continued to close distance between Zamel and him, dirt blew into his eyes without warning, blinding him and causing him to trip and fall. He got up and tried to wipe the dirt out, but with little success. He attempted to keep his eyes narrowed, and he followed the path to Whiterun. He had lost Zamel, who was nowhere to be seen. He continued on, consistently trying to dislodge the dirt in his eye. He tried to tell time by the sun, and it was beginning to lower. He'd have to stop in Rorikstead tonight, as he knew being almost blinded in the darkness is hardly suggested, if at all. He passed by the place where the Forsworn attacked them, pools of blood surrounding each of their bodies. There was also blood splattered from both Zamel and wounds from the Forsworn before they fell.

As Veezara walked through the puddles of the scarlet fluid, he persisted in the activity of attempting to rid his eyes of the debilitating dirt. He realized now that he didn't notify Zamel the location of Alain, and his residence appeared to be ruins, placed nearby another bandit camp. Although the path was shorter then most roads leading to cities, the road between Windhelm and the spoken-of ruins was filled with Frostbite Spiders and Ice Wraiths. As he trudged on, hands still glued to his face, the sun was slowly setting along the horizon. He broke into a run, wanting to get to Rorikstead as soon as possible. He used the sounds his steps had made to be sure he was still on the path, as his eyes were still blocked by the brown substance.

Zamel, however, was already much ahead. He was wheezing, and felt short of breath. He had run a long distance, so he assumed that was the reason why he already felt so totaled. As he slowly walked, his wheezing slowly recovering, he noticed how far the sun had reached. It was only touching the horizon, sure, but he would have to walk to Whiterun, in solitude. Possibly in the dark. He had gotten so used to the reassuring footsteps Veezara brought with him. After he had hurt him like that, then ditch him back in Markarth, he began to felt guilty, although it was only a tinge. However, as his wheezing seized and he was back on his way to Whiterun, it blossomed. He began to feel worried, as if he was being followed by a fearsome stranger. He looked behind him constantly, expecting to see his oblivious crush running towards him, hands waving in the air, calling out. Although he knew that was much out of character for Veezara, he laughed pitifully at his own imagination. His mind suddenly focused on the time when his fellow Argonian confessed to staring at his unique pale green scales.

Although he knew Veezara was unknowing of his mental plight that his hatred of his own colour had brought to him, he felt angry at him staring so obviously at a sensitive subject of himself. He took his glove off, and stared at his hand. Due to his strange colouring, he had even become an outcast of his own species, as if he had some deadly disease. Though, he knew people became as pale his scales were while sick, so he could see people thinking he got some kind of disease that plagued him. He sighed sorrowfully as he slipped his glove back on, clenching it and opening it again to make sure it was on all the way. He continued onwards to Whiterun, his brain racking him with anxiety-inducing questions.

He was lost in his own skull, oblivious to the darkness that was quickly closing the landscape. As his eyes were covered in the blanketing black, he realized it was now beyond sunset. Monsters tend to show up more and bandits liked to prey on innocent travelers, though they would settle for him if they had to. He picked up his pace, trying to block out the mocking thoughts. He closed his hands into firm fists as he broke into a run, the worries of being assaulted and murdered without realization implanted into his mind, rooting ever deeper. He kept looking back over his shoulder, making sure there was no figure behind him. He began to gasp for breath as he reached the tower south of his destination, short of breath, but it lasted with much less time. He continued on, trying to blank out his mind.

* * *

However, on Veezara's side, he had reached Rorikstead, his eyes tearing up from the annoyance still blocking his eyes. Hoping it might come out as he sleeps, he chose to head to the inn. Wiping his teary eyes still, he walked to the innkeeper, and bought himself a room. He followed the innkeeper, and went straight to the bed.

Zamel had now reached the now quiet city of Whiterun, torches sparking embers into the air. As he walked up the pathway to the gates, he began to feel the exhaustion his self-inflicted torment did to him. He dragged his weighed legs, hearing the guards talking. As he approached, black rings starting to form around his eyes, the guards went silent, as if being passive-aggressive about their placement. Some guards, he thought, thinking only of power.

As he entered the city, he noticed how bare it was. There was only guards and the average homeless person roaming the streets. As he passed by staggering drunks and guards in silence, he reached the inn. He went in, seeing the bard playing a song. He passed by the few people still within the inn, and thus bought a room for the night. He went upstairs, his muscles seemingly screaming at him, he opened the door, knowing that he was going to pass out soon. He closed the door, feeling his face burn up. However, he didn't care much for his newborn fever, as he collasped on the bed, falling asleep almost instantly. He didn't bother to question his lack of energy, sleep wiping his brain clean.

* * *

As both of the Argonians slept, time passed quickly. Veezara had woken up much earlier than Zamel, who was still asleep in the rented bed. Figuring his ahead companion stayed the night in Whiterun, as he was not dense enough to think he was able to get to Windhelm, he set off as soon as he woke up. He realized by the soreness of his eyes and the blurriness of his sight, the streaming tears coming from his eyes cleared out the congesting dirt. Glad for his sight, he started off at a brisk pace. However, he soon found himself running, but he wasn't sure if the pace made him do it or if he was worried about Zamel. He passed by a idle giant in the grasses, gaining distance between him and Whiterun. His tail was waving frantically by the fast movements of Veezara, creating a small drift behind him. He jumped over a rock, and he realized how energized he felt.

He saw the tower that was southern of Whiterun, and dashed forward, running past the half-asleep guards, sparking their consciousness by startling them. He continued to sprint, but was gradually slowing down. As he reached the stables, his chest was heaving, and he felt sweat pooling from certain parts of his body. He walked along however, slowly regaining the energy he had spent running.

Zamel was slowly waking up, his mind groggy with sleep. His fever was faint, but his body felt fatigued and he was covered in a cold sweat. He pushed himself up by extending his arms, and rolled onto his back. He eventually sat himself up, and stood up after. He stretched, feeling his muscles become less tense, and then he sluggishly walked out of his room. As he went down the steps, he saw most people had cleared out from the lobby. He left, waving a small farewell to the innkeeper, and felt a slight cold breeze. It made his still present sweat colder, making him shiver. As he was rubbing his shivering arms, he saw the familiar black and red armor beginning to emerge from the gates on the opposite side of the city. The moment he realized it was Veezara, he dashed to the less used streets of Whiterun. However, Veezara, who had just looked inside the hold, saw Zamel's unmistakeable pale tail disappear behind a building.

" Za- " He called out, but realized he had already fled out of hearing range. He dashed after the pale Argonian, and saw him hiding behind Arcadia's Cauldron. Zamel didn't see Veezara, giving him a free opportunity to talk to him. As he stalked behind the gasping Zamel, he noticed how he was wheezing. Was his cold acting up? He gripped Zamel's wrist, and he began to speak. However, as soon as he opened his mouth, Zamel ripped his wrist out of his grip, and punched Veezara savagely in the face. Dazed and plagued by a sudden headache as his mind reacted to the trauma, he felt a feverish warmth enter his mouth. The next moment he was thrown to the ground, his vision blurry and distorted. Wobbly and disoriented, he got up, and saw Zamel run out. He staggered forward, getting his balance back. He felt blood running from his nose, and he wiped it out. He ran after Zamel, who was significantly slower then him due to his sickness. He tripped on a stray rock, stumbling and falling on his knee. This gave Zamel an opportunity to gain distance, and he took it. Reaching the carriage, he began to dig into his patch of money. Veezara was back on his feet, beginning to sprint as Zamel propped himself into the back, and the carriage took off.

Veezara was beginning to fall behind, but he decided to fully exert himself to catch up. He used all of his energy in his body, and leapt onto the carriage. Zamel jumped when he felt the weight of Veezara rock the carriage. Veezara lost balance from the rocking, and he stumbled into the side of the carriage, grabbing hold of the sides. After he got his balance back, he payed the silent driver, and sat on the opposite side of Zamel. He had risen his hood whilst he was paying the driver, and his hands were together, on his lap. They didn't say a word the whole ride, as they approached the chilly area of Windhelm.

* * *

As they both got off the carriage, it began to head back to Whiterun. Zamel's face was still dark and unreadable, but Veezara thought he deserved to know why Zamel was acting like this.

" Zamel. Why do you keep doing this? " Veezara said, his voice prickled with irritation.

" My emotions are conflicted, Veezara. The reason why I couldn't tell you back in Markarth was because I was in love with you. I wasn't sure if it was infatuation, but I think my impulsive movements on you today should be self-evident. " Zamel said, trying to cover his voice with indifference. However, his attempts didn't work nearby the end, because the emotional pain and desperation he felt cracked his voice ever so noticeably. Veezara now felt the emotional combat Zamel had been going through, his chest tightening and his vocal cords unable to make a response. Due to his past life, he had never been in love or had someone in love with him, or at least, as far as he knew.

" I need to go think about this. " Veezara said in a low mumble, walking into the hold to their side. Zamel just stood there, silent, in solitude. After getting hit by more then a few wind gusts, he decided to go inside, to finish one of the assigned targets. As he walked in, he remembered idly wandering through this city, and heard about the little boy doing the Black Sacrament. Erasing it from his mind, he walked through the crowds of people nearby the merchants. He saw Nilsine going into a corridor, and got his bow ready. As he stalked her, she was walking very slowly, as if she was thinking about something. He readied his bow, and pointed it at her head. However, he let out a cough just as he released the arrow. She turned around in surprise, but the only thing she could see before she died was an arrow coming towards her face. She let out a small moan of pain as it pierced her skull, then her brain, killing her. He left the scene as another person passed by him, letting out a scream. The person looked frantically for Zamel, clothed in his unique-looking armor, but he was already gone, as if he had dissolved into the shadows.

However, in reality, he was in front of the inn. The most likely place Veezara would've gone would be the inn, since there's no point in hanging around outside. As he walked in, he didn't spot Veezara. All he saw was a bunch of drunken Nords and the bartender who was serving them. As he approached the bartender, one of the Nords shoved him to the ground, and began to flirt on her, to her discomfort.

" Ugh, you little... " He said as he got back up, as he clocked the back his head with his gloved fist, slamming his head against the table, knocking him out. The other men stood up, looking at him with shock and anger. They began to charge at him, which he blocked swiftly. He quickly punched two of their faces, making them stagger, and and he swept them with his leg. He swiftly stomped on their precious sacks, making them wither in pain. Another Nord punched him in the face, and he staggered back. He punched him in the gut then in the face again, but he blocked the face blow. He kicked him backwards, and launched on him. After pummeling him to his brink of consciousness, he stood up, sweating profoundly. The bartender looked shocked at how he easily knocked out five Nords.

" Now that's over... Have you seen another Argonian book in here? " He asked. She shook her head. After waving a brief goodbye, he left. Where else would Veezara be? Not only did he know where the last target resided, he still had to tell him how he felt. His chest felt a confused warmth about the entire situation that was placed upon him. He remembered that he wasn't located in marketplace, he highly doubted he would be in the slum part of Windhelm, but he still had several places to look. He had to look on the opposite site of the Marketplace, where some shops resided. He also had to look in front of the Palace, and then there was the cemetery. He chose the cemetery, as it was highly unlikely Veezara would go to a place where many people resided to sort out his thoughts. As his boots left silent tracks in the building snow, he turned the corner into the large arch that signified the entrance of the cemetery. He saw more tracks that were the same as his, signifying Veezara had passed this way. As he followed the tracks, he realized they left Windhelm. They were still fresh, but he knew that he Veezara was going to do the contract on his own.

" This isn't like you, Veezara. " Zamel said. He began to feel the wretched anxiety, forgetting about his fever. He began to run after the tracks, trying to limit himself so he didn't get short of breath. He saw the tracks go into the river, and then up into the mountains. He dived in the water, the current washing him away for a second. However, thanks to his natural swimming ability, he quickly regained balance and re-emerged on the shore, and began to climb up the mountain. He began to feel light-headed, thanks to his rising fever. As he reached the top, he was panting, his vision distorted. He felt nausea, and was holding his head in a dizzy grip. As soon as it passed, he got to his feet, and he saw the ruins looming overhead. Veezara was there, battling a bandit. There was two more dead, blood squirting everywhere. Zamel ran up as he saw an archer aiming for Veezara, yelling out for him when it flew from the bow. As it narrowly avoided him, whizzing just past his head due to his reaction of Zamel's call, saw the arrow instead lodge itself in his left arm. Zamel let out a pained yell, and Veezara felt his opponent's mace slam against his side, throwing him to the ground. Zamel, his left arm limp, drove his gleaming black sword into the bandit's chest.

As he spewed hot blood all over Zamel, drenching him in dark scarlet liquid, he went limp, and Zamel kicked him off the sword. Another arrow came at him, but he jumped back, and he took out his bow. As he readied an arrow, the archer did the same. They both released the arrow, it scoring Zamel in the left shoulder. It hit the archer in the throat, making them fall over, choking on their own blood. Zamel let out a low moan in reaction to the pain his left arm and shoulder, cluthing the arrow as he ripped it out. He let out a whining sound, and realized Veezara had been blown pretty hard. A warm, pale yellow glow appeared in his hand. Zamel pressed his hand against Veezara's side, where his armor was beginning to dampen with blood. He had begun the spell, pale yellow lines forming and leaving Veezara's lower area. After Zamel spent all the magicka, he felt himself going light-headed again. He had used a lot of his remaining energy on killing those bandits, and the pain in his arm did not help him. The next thing he knew, his vision went white, collapsed, and his unconsciousness sweeping over his mind.

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Chapter 5 -END-

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Author's Note: Sorry for the delay! I've been very distracted recently, thanks to new games.

Also, as a side note, I would appreciate it if you could write a review. Thank you for your time!


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